West Michigan will soon get a unique way to experience golf at a brand new facility being completed in Lowell. Arrowhead Golf Course is constructing the Arrowhead Golf Loft on its property in Vergennes Township.
Owner Josh Bruwer describes the new project as a different way to have fun while engaging in the sport of golf. The expectation is that it will be enjoyable for those new to the game as well as for those who are highly competitive golfers.
“I think this is a great way to get people excited about golf who maybe haven’t played before or weren’t introduced to it,” Bruwer says. “I’m a competitor. This is what the highest of high competitors would enjoy as well. I love it because it’s for every niche of golfer.”
Currently under construction at the 163-acre golf course, the new entertainment facility will be housed in a separate two-story building. It is basically an indoor driving range where golfers will hit balls outside onto the green through bay doors. Targets are placed on 15 acres of the green.
“Think of a bowling alley. Then, except bowling, you’re hitting golf balls out there,” Bruwer explains. “So, you’ve got your group of four or five friends, (and) you’ve got your own individual bay.”
Bruwer anticipates the facility will be ideal for inexperienced golfers and also for couples looking to have a night out together since it will be less time-consuming or regimented than a round of golf on the course. The outdoor targets light up when hit, and monitors can be programmed for a variety of games that can superimpose things on a screen to make the game more fun.
An avid golfer and head coach of the Lowell High School girls golf team, Bruwer says a golfer can use the facility to practice one club specifically or practice their swing. After logging into a designated bay, the system will keep track of all shots made. The skill of the golfer and the level of handicap needed can be determined with this information. For beginners, the targets open up wider to become more accessible when it is their turn to hit the ball.
“It will give you all kinds of data on your launch angle so you can practice how quickly the ball is accelerating off the club,” Bruwer says. There’s an app available to golfers who want to take the information collected home for study.
Bruwer says the pioneer of this concept is a company called Topgolf . The closest facility similar to the one being built in Lowell is in Auburn Hills.
Because the facility will be indoors, it will not necessarily need to be shut down in bad weather. The Loft can remain open in all but extreme weather. This feature will be attractive to golfers of all experience levels.
“It’s like a traditional driving range brought inside to create golf entertainment,” according to Bruwer. “This is a lot more simple than going out for 18 holes, but it’s challenging enough where your avid golfer is going to want to really dial in their game, and it’s going to gamify the experience.”
It is anticipated that parties and groups of friends will utilize the facilities as the system can be set up so bays can compete against each other. There will be food and beverages for sale in the building and plenty of room for comfortable socializing.
“We’re just really, really excited about this. It’s unique. I think it’s going to be cool because there are a lot of great golf courses around, but we’re probably one of the first to do something like this. We’re excited to bring that to Lowell and I’m excited to see how it’s embraced,” Bruwer says
As Arrowhead Golf Course has been a family-owned and operated facility since 1963, Bruwer says they had to make sure the building of the facility met with all regulations put upon them by the township.
Construction for the facility began in October 2024, and the gaming system will begin installation on April 28. Bruwer says if all goes to plan, there will be a soft opening in May with a grand opening to follow.
I just happened by Arrowhead on my motorcycle last week-end. I saw the construction going on and knew it was going to be something special. Well done Bruers.